Abstract:For much
of the past century, human beings prior to 35,000 years BP have been generally
regarded as greatly inferior to modern Homo sapiens. However, the early
human chronicle is undergoing dramatic revision. A growing list of capabilities
once attributed only to our species is now being traced as far back as
Acheulian times and our ancient predecessor Homo erectus. A major
breakthrough in this transition was Robert Bednarik’s theory that a graphic
marking motif, essentially the “fan” motif, began to be developed by Homo
erectus as early as 350,000 years ago. In this paper, I offer studies that
support Bednarik’s theory and the linked ideas of language and self-awareness
during the Lower Palaeolithic. The paper
consists of seven figures. Figure 1 demonstrates hominid interest in the fan
motif as evidenced in the archaeological record. Figures 2 through 5 suggest a
greater number, quality and consistency of the earliest known fan motifs
associated with Homo erectus at Bilzingsleben. Finally, Figures 6 and 7 link the fan motif to the
outspread human hand. I suggest that early interest in the fan motif
reflects both symbolism and human self-awareness prompted by familiarity with
the hand.

Musings is one of four papers
offering a completely new perspective regarding early peoples such as
Homo erectus, Homo ergaster, Neanderthals, and Homo heidelbergensis. It was a requested paper first submitted for review
on August 9, 2004. This webpage shows five of the paper's
seven figures. Click on each thumbnail for an enlarged view. You
can then click on that image for an even larger image showing
more detail.

Here are a few important observations that were first
presented in Musings on the Palaeolithic Fan Motif:

1.)'Straight edge theory.' The engraved bone artifactsof Bilzingsleben have long been known to feature straight lines. Until the proofs offered in Musings on the Palaeolithic Fan Motif, however, no one had considered the possibility that these lines might have been created with a straight edge. This is because of the long-time working assumption in anthropology that the engravers, Homo erectus, were essentially ape-men unable even to speak, let alone use a straight edge. The proofs for straight edge use (Fig. 2, right, Fig. 3 below left, and Figs. 4 & 5, below right) are unambiguous and are characterized by perfectly-referencedand perfectly-straight
radial lines.

The figures for Straight edge theory were
deliberately set up so that the reader could instantly test the
radial lines for themselves right on the printed page, thus bypassing
the need to be either
convinced or unconvinced by any scholarly argument or argument from
authority. Prior to these studies, all writers in anthropology -
without exception - have referred to the lines on Bilzingsleben Artifact 2 (far left artifact in Fig. 2), for
instance, as "parallel" lines. The straight edge test shows that
the lines are, in fact, "radial," referenced to a point well away
from the artifact itself.

The straight edge engravings from Bilzingsleben aresecurely dated 320,000-412,000 years old
and show that just because an engraved line
is ancient we can no longer simply assume that it was necessarily done
freehand. Resistance to straight edge theory, especially in this year
of Darwin, is due in large part to the fact that use of a straight edge
is proof of unambiguously sophisticated behavior. In and of itself, and without
need of any other evidence except its already-established association
with the remains of Homo erectus, use of a straight edge demonstrates completely modern intelligence 400,000 years ago.
In other words, straight edge theory demonstrates that there has been no change whatsoever in human
cognitive ability for at least 400,000 years.

The final proofs of
straight edge use by Homo erectus were presented at the XVth UISPP Congress in Lisbon, September 7, 2006 during the Pleistocene Palaeoart of the World session in a program called The Graphics of Bilzingsleben. Censorship of these uncontested final proofs began within one week of the Congress.
The data, which has been studied by scientists in every field
(archaeology, psychology, neuroscience, linguistics), as well as by
engineers in Europe, the United States, and Australia, has been held
back from the public for two and a half years while those who have had
privileged access to the data have been quickly altering their
publication course both online and in print without citing Musings on the Palaeolithic fan motif or its follow-up, The Graphics of Bilzingsleben.

How straight edge use by Homo erectus proves early language and representation:

Any
line engraved with the aid of a straight edge is directly symbolic of
the straight edge itself, being a "representation" of the edge.

Additional support is offered by the two duplicated motifs discussed below. While apparently
referring to each other visually, they each also refer to the exact
same "external" object or concept, namely, the straight edge.

2.)'The earliest motif duplicated on two separate artifacts.' These two duplicated radial motifs represent the first unambiguous geometric and linguistic proof of early
language(Fig. 3, left). Duplicated
motifs such as written or spoken words or even agreed-upon symbols are the hallmark of language.

Prior to recognizing these two motifs as either duplicates or
variations of each other, most proponents of early language used
unrelated references to "infer" language in early peoples. For example, "If
they could get from
here to there then they must have had language," or "If they had the
right vocal tract or the right genetic traits, they probably had a
simple language."

The
geometric association between these two motifs and similar associations between
other motifs at Bilzingsleben were fully
demonstrated with final and unambiguous visual proofs at the XVth UISPP Congress in the program, The Graphics of
Bilzingsleben, the dat of which has been held back from publication since 2006.

3.)'Representation of angles theory.' Angles represented in the bone engravings from Bilzingsleben are shown
to revolve around those angles which, beyond any doubt, are most commonly observed by human beings both
past and present, namely, those of the outstretched human hand (Fig. 6, right). The point is
made that the engravings do not necessarily represent the human hand
per se but rather an awareness of the abstract concept of angles inspired by constant exposure to the human hand. It is suggested that signs of abstraction in the archaeological
record (such as an awareness of angles) may say more about the intellectual capabilities of early people
than the more quickly-recognized forms of iconic representation or images that clearly represent other things by way of a visual likeness.

In the paper's Fig. 1,
it was demonstrated by way of abundant physical evidence from the
archaeological record that one of the first patterns to greatly
interest early humans was the radial motif, otherwise known as the fan
motif. The radial motif was not only engraved on bone and rock by early humans and painted on cave walls and ceilings but also collected ready-made in the form of fossils and shells. See also, The Impact of Fossils on the Development of Visual Representation.

Feliks, J. 2009. The handaxe shape in microliths. Comment on "Is a hand ax really a hand ax,"
by Michael Balter. Origins: a history of beginnings [Internet].
Available at:
http://blogs.sciencemag.org/origins/2009/02/is-a-handax-really-a-handax.html.

John Feliks is an interdisciplinary
scholar and theorist researching early human cognition for the past 15 years. Along with the science, he offers an inside perspective based on an extensive background in the arts. Feliks's
recent work involves language and mathematics capability in Homo erectus
and other early peoples which he demonstrates empirically through
openly-testable geometric analyses of engraved
artifacts, artifact distributions, and stone tools. In all,
the
results of Feliks's research greatly contrast the long-accepted
standard model of
gradually-evolving
intelligence in the genus Homo. They suggest instead that early peoples such as Homo erectus, ergaster, Neanderthals, and heidelbergensis were just as capable as anyone living in today's modern world.

ABOUT THE WEBSITES

This Musings-only page is new and in the process of tweaking, so
please be patient as it goes through changes in wording or layout.
I am hoping to get
the main site up and running soon. The site will offer several hundred
systematic geometric studies produced over a fifteen-year period which demonstrate that early peoples such as Homo erectus and Neanderthals had artistic and intellectual
capabilities equal to our own. It will also offer original color slides
from the two programs
presented
at the XVth UISPP Congress in Lisbon, September 7, 2006.